In a CDMA system, the target frame error rate (tFER) for voice service is 1%, and the tFER for circuit data service can be as low as 0.01%. FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are plots of the performance of a communication system receiver FER according to a prior art communication system transmit power control method at different doppler frequencies 3 km/hr, 30 km/hr and 120 km/hr, respectively, at a tFER of 0.1%. As can be seen in the Figures, for the given values of outer loop power control threshold (OLT), the received FER does not closely track the tFER. Thus, there is a need for a communication system transmit power control method that provides OLT values that will enable the received FER to more closely track the tFER.